This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling an individual industrial air circulator.
Air circulators are frequently used in manufacturing settings to provide a relatively inexpensive means of evaporative cooling for workers. In such settings, manufacturers operate a great number of these air circulators at a time during a work shift. These air circulators are each controlled by the individual worker, who switches the air circulator xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d or changes the fan speed. Often an individual worker may forget to turn off his air circulator at the end of a work period. When a large number of workers consistently fail to switch off their air circulators, the electrical cost of operating these air circulators increases as does the wear and tear on each unit.
Ventilation fans for applications other than such work environments, have been provided with timer controls that turn ventilation fans, such as attic ventilator fans, xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d on a predetermined cycle. Such fans are typically provided with a timing control positioned outwardly of the fan and are usually accessible to an owner of the residence including the fan. The ventilator fan may thus be timed to a particular period of xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d/xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d cycles. Such controls have never been provided in a factory setting for industrial air circulators. Also, the prior art controls may not fully address the problems mentioned above. Moreover, the prior art of ventilator fan timing controls has not been utilized in conjunction with the workday, but rather with other ventilation or cooling needs.
A need therefore exists for a relatively inexpensive device that automatically turns off the operation of the air circulator approximately following the end of a work period.
One aspect of the invention comprises a modular timer for an industrial air circulator. The timer serves to energize a motor of the air circulator for a predetermined amount of time. The timer has a first conductor, such as a wire, with a first connector and a second conductor with a second connector. The first connector operatively connects the air circulator motor to the timer while the second connector operatively connects the timer to a switch. One of the connectors may be a removable connector to allow for rapid removable installation of the timer into an air circulator unit, either during the initial manufacturing process or as a retrofit to an already constructed air circulator unit already in service.
Typically, the timer is designed such that the time of activation of the air circulator is tied to an average work day shift or period and includes a selection switch that controls the amount of time the timer energizes the air circulator motor. Thus, times of four hours, eight hours, ten hours, twelve hours, etc., could be utilized. Further, it may be desirable to have a time period that is somewhat less than the average work day, in that the workers may not turn the air circulator on until later in the work day when the ambient temperature increases. Thus, a time of four, five, or six hours may also be preferred.
The timer will commence to run upon actuation of the power switch. In this way, the timer runs when the worker arrives for his shift and turns the air circulator switch on, rather than by clock setting. Moreover, the timer may be designed such that each actuation of a power switch will reset the timer. By providing this resetting feature, the invention becomes particularly useful for timing the shutoff more closely to the end of a work shift. As an example, if the air circulator is not turned on until the middle of the day, then the air circulator will run for a period of time at the end of the day. However, if a shorter time period (i.e., four hours) is provided, then when the air circulator shuts off after four hours if the worker is still on shift, he can simply reset the timer by actuating the air circulator switch.
In a further beneficial aspect of this invention, the timer is not accessible from outside of the air circulator. In one well-known type of air circulator, a motor housing is attached to the air circulator body such that access to the interior of the motor and control is provided for maintenance. However, in the factory setting the entire air circulator assembly is often mounted remote from the workers. The air circulator may be mounted on the ceiling, or on a relatively high stand. In either situation, by incorporating the timer into the air circulator motor housing, the timer is kept remote from the workers. In this fashion it is less likely that the workers will change the air circulator control from the desired time set by the maintenance/electrical engineers for the assembly line. Also, theft or damage of the timer is eliminated when mounted in this fashion.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.